The present invention relates to a casing brake and filling tube combination for an apparatus for filling and closing said tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing, like a clipping machine according to independent claim 1.
In practice, it is known that, for example in the production of sausage-shaped products, like sausages, filling material is fed by a filling machine through a filling tube of a clipping machine into a tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing which is temporarily stored on the filling tube and which is closed at its front end, i.e. the end pointing in the feeding direction of the filling material by a closure means, like a closure clip, or by fusing this end, respectively. The tubular packaging casing is pulled-off from the filling tube while being filled by the feeding pressure. At least during the filling process, a casing brake applies a frictional force to the tubular packaging casing while being pulled-off from the filling tube, in order to control the pull-off speed and to ensure an at least approximately constant filling degree. After a predetermined volume of filling material has been filled into said tubular packaging casing, a displacer arrangement with a first and a second displacer unit which can each be formed by a pair of reversibly moveable displacement elements, a plait-like portion of the tubular packaging casing is formed. The clipping machine then places and closes at least one closure clip at the plait-like portion forming the rear end of the sausage or bag-shaped product, i.e. the end pointing opposite to the feeding direction by respective closing tools which are reversibly movable towards the plait-like portion.
A known casing brake assembly which is used for the purpose described above, is disclosed in EP patent application 1 987 719. This casing brake assembly includes two brake rings. A first brake ring is firmly mounted on the filling tube and has a brake surface arranged at its outer circumference. A second brake ring coaxially surrounds the first brake ring being arranged on the filling tube. The outer or second brake ring has a circular lip acting on the inner or first brake ring for applying a frictional force on the tubular packaging casing material guided between the two brake rings. For adjusting the brake force, the outer brake ring is shifted parallel to the filling tube axis relative to the inner brake ring. For removing at least the outer brake ring from the filling tube, e.g. in order to refill tubular packaging casing material to the filling tube, the outer brake ring has to be moved in the filling direction and has to be removed from the filling tube.
In a clipping machine comprising these known assemblies, additional space has to be provided in the region of the outflow end of the filling tube for removing the casing brake assembly or parts therefrom, respectively. In order to provide the required space, the filling tube and/or the clipping machine which is positioned downstream the filling tube, has to be arranged such that it can be reversibly moved in the filling direction, which requires an additional effort in their construction and additional space at the installation site.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a casing brake and filling tube combination which overcomes the above mentioned drawbacks and which allows a simplified and compact construction of a clipping machine.